


We Fell in Love in October

by cavlarycaptain



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Light-Hearted, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-11-22 11:37:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20873585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cavlarycaptain/pseuds/cavlarycaptain
Summary: “I hate this goddamn weather.” Billy says as he pulls his beanie further down on his head, coiling his scarf tighter against his neck. “What it’s any good for?” He takes a drag of his cigarette before passing it to Steve.“You’re just mad because you can’t wear your shirt unbuttoned for a couple of months.” Steve says in a joking manner.





	We Fell in Love in October

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from the song [we fell in love in october](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iggmiF7DNoM) by girl in red
> 
> Quick disclaimer : It's not lost on me that Billy Hargrove is a racist bully, but in this, like most of my stories, Billy is non-canonical in the sense that he got the help he needed and worked towards becoming a better person. In no way am I writing off how he actually was in season 2, because let's face it, he was horrible.

“I hate this goddamn weather.” Billy says as he pulls his beanie further down on his head, coiling his scarf tighter against his neck. “What it’s any good for?” He says before taking a drag of his cigarette and passing it to Steve.

“You’re just mad because you can’t wear your shirt unbuttoned for a couple of months.” Steve says in a joking manner. “It’s really not that bad babe, it’s only 65 degrees.” They were currently sitting on the roof of Steve’s house, stargazing.

“Why do you like this time of year so much?” Billy asks, pulling his jacket closer to himself. “What’s so great about fall?

Steve stares at Billy, drawn in by the way the moonlight reflects in his crystal blue eyes; thinking about the first time he saw those crystal blue eyes.

———

“I hate this goddamn weather.” Steve says as he pulls his beanie further down on his head.

“You’re just mad because you have to wear a beanie and it covers your hair.” Nancy says as she adjusts her gloves. “It’s not that bad, Steve, it’s only 66 degrees.” She grabs his hand and pulls him up to her speed. “Now come on, all the good trees are gonna be taken.”

“What do you mean, “good trees”, aren’t they all good trees if there’s apples growing on them?”

“Yes Steve, but not all apples are good apples.” She says.

“You can say that again.” Steve says as he eyes a guy aggressively grabbing apples off of trees and all but chucking them into a basket. He’s got a cigarette hanging from his mouth, like it’s meant to be there and only there, and he’s wearing a red and black checkered shirt; though wearing might be a generous term since he’s unbuttoned almost each button but the last.

“Billy, stop it.” A redheaded girl comes from behind him and snatches the basket out of his hand. “You’re going to bruise the apples if you throw them like that.”

“Just because something’s bruised doesn’t mean it’s bad, Max.” Billy says.

“It’ll ruin the crumble, Billy.” Max says as she begins picking apples.She picks them off the branch softly and delicately, a vast contrast to the way Billy was picking them off of the tree earlier.

“Oh no, the crumble,” Billy begins, sarcasm dripping off each word. “Whatever will we do, Max, not the crumble.”

“Steve!” He hears his named called from behind him and he’s brought back to his reality, the one where’s he’s helping Nancy pick apples. “Are you gonna help me or are just going to stand there in a daze?” She asks and he jogs over to where she’s currently picking apples, thoughts of Billy now in the back of his mind.

“You know they sell these at the store right?” Steve begins, picking apples off the branches Nancy can’t quite reach. “They’ve got them laid out in a neat row and everything.” Steve says and Nancy rolls her eyes and crosses her arms across her chest.

“Forgive me for wanting to spend some time with my best friend.” She says and Steve feels slightly bad.

“Sorry Nance, you’re right, we haven’t been able to see each other nearly as much since you started dating Jonathan,” 

“And since you single-handily decided to wingman Robin every chance you get.” Nancy says and Steve raises his hands in defense.

“I can’t help that I was a matchmaker in a former life, Nancy, it just comes naturally.” Nancy rolls her eyes again but this time she can’t suppress the smile that follows. Steve smiles back at her; he’s missed this. “Now come on, let’s pick some apples for your apple crumble.”

“Crisp.” Nancy corrects him, handing him a white wicker basket.

“All the same to me; I’ll probably eat it all anyways.” Steve says. Nancy points him towards a tree that looks like it hasn’t been touched.

“Do me a favor and start picking apples from that tree; this one’s wearing a little thin.” Steve does a mock salute, walks over to the tree and starts picking apples off casually one by one.

He reaches for one and he feels it in his hand until it’s pulled from his grasp. After recovering from the initial shock of being robbed of a perfectly good apple, Steve sees Billy from earlier standing in front of him, cigarette still handing from his mouth.

“Snooze, you lose, pretty boy.” Billy says as he’s tossing the apple up in the air. “Gotta be just a little bit quicker than that.”

“Pretty boy, huh? At least buy me a drink first.” Steve says in response, snatching the apple out of the air after Billy throws it up again. Billy raises his eyebrows, taken aback by the quick retort and reflexes, but then he smiles.

“Don’t threaten me with a good time.” Billy challenges and Steve stares hard at Billy; finally able to take in those crystal blue eyes. He’s able to read them and while Billy’s tone indicates the words are said in jest, he can see the underlying truth behind them by looking in his eyes. 

“You know I’ve heard _Jerry’s_ has a pretty good apple cider around this time of year.” Steve suggests, playing into this game of back and forth. Billy eyes widen, but then narrow as he grabs the cigarette from his mouth, putting it out on the bottom of his shoe.

“Is that so, pretty boy?”

“Dare I say, some of the best I’ve ever had; might be _the_ best apple cider.” Steve says, finally putting the apple in his basket.

“I think I’d have to be the judge of that myself.” Billy says and Steve’s about to reply, about to engage with the open invitation Billy’s left for him that’s hanging in the air, but then he hears Nancy call for him.

“Steve! Can you please stop flirting and pick some apples? We’ve only got the sun for a couple of more hours.” Billy looks like he’s about to taunt Steve but then Max calls his name out, repeating what Nancy says, almost verbatim.

“Duty calls.” Steve says, picking up his basket. “See you at Jerry’s at 8, Billy.”

“See ya then, pretty boy.” Billy says, a glint of mischief in his eyes.

They meet at Jerry’s and while Billy still won’t admit it to Steve, Jerry’s has got the best damn apple cider Billy’s ever had; it’s also one of the best nights Billy’s ever had, even if he didn’t want to admit it to himself. 

Any fear or trepidation that Steve felt in his stomach is quelled by an overwhelming feeling of ease. It’s a sense of ease that starts to become intertwined with a sense of infatuation and Steve finds himself loving every second of it. Steve was never a fan of fall, until he met Billy. He was willing to embrace the colder afternoons and the ever cumbersome hat hair that inevitably came with it.

He grew to love bonfires, pumpkin patches, haystack rides and you know what, maybe there was something more endearing about picking your own apples when wanting to make apple crumble.

As Steve fell in love with fall, he found himself falling in love with Billy. Steve realized that the tough guy bravado Billy makes a display of putting on, is just that, a display. Billy was right that day in the apple orchard, just because something’s a little bruised, doesn’t mean it’s bad.

——-

“Well?” Billy asks, rubbing his hands together, bringing Steve back to the present. “Why do you like fall so much?”

“We fell in love in October” Steve says, smiling at Billy. “That’s why I love fall.”

**Author's Note:**

> Sooooo what did you think? This wasn't supposed to be over 1000 words but here we are! I've been primarily working on my chaptered story for the time being but I've wanted to write this oneshot since the summer but I wanted to wait until it was October to release it. I hope you enjoyed it :) 
> 
> Feel free to check out my chaptered story, [Where Angels Fear to Tread](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19081780/chapters/45331879).
> 
> find me on tumblr here: [cavlarycvptain](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/cavlarycvptain)


End file.
